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Blueprint For Change – BlogAdda’s Weekend Contest

Blogadda has been coming up with some interesting contests lately. Though I have never really participated in any of them but this time when I saw the theme of this weekend’s contest, I couldn’t stop myself and here I am trying my luck. To be honest, the prize of this contest is TOTALLY DROOLWORTHY and hence I am here giving it a shot.

I am generally not vocal about the kind of stuff I do or practice to improve conditions in my surroundings, until unless someone is really interested in knowing. What I believe is, change is actually a nuclear fission reaction. One has to take an initiative without expecting anything from anyone and should put in an honest and sincere effort. People with brains would definitely notice you some day and would try and help you out in the best possible way. I have seen it happening.

So coming straight to the point, I would like to share 5 problems that I see in my day to day life and my blueprint to solve these problems is written right next to the problem.

1. Illiteracy – I personally think, half of the problems of our country is because people are clueless about things. They live in a vacuum zone from which they just do not want to step out and explore. This vacuum has become their comfort zone. Education is something that can help such people to overcome many things. But sadly, people just don’t want to focus and take things up. They are not willing to learn and improve their lives. They are happy in begging food, money and stuff from people, but they do not want to educate themselves to earn themselves a better living and this place a better place to live.

Solution : Try and educate as many people as possible. I am not talking about school education here. Discussions and telling people what is actually wrong and what can be done to set things straight. You can start with your maid and her children and slowly expand. If you can’t do that, then try and help a child with the school education. There are various schools that provide basic education to children at very nominal fees. You can afford that easily. Try and find such schools and try and find such children who are willing to learn. Make a difference.

2. Beggars : Beggars piss me off real bad. I feel extremely bad when I see a kid or an adult begging for food and money. I am sure most of you must have seen people who are young, fit and fine begging on streets. I just don’t appreciate it. Also, I loathe people who give money to them. If a person is hungry, you can always buy food for him, you don’t know what they are going to do with the money that you have given them.

Solution : If someone is begging for food and clothes, try and help them. NEVER EVER give money to people. Though there is an exception to this rule, if you see an extremely old person begging for money, give them something. I do that. But if a young person or a kid asks you for money, ask them to work/study and earn it themselves. DO NOT entertain them. You are unknowingly promoting their habit and adding more people to this exponentially increasing crowd.

3. Wastage of Food : I have no respect for people who waste food. We all see the insane amount of food being wasted everywhere. Parties, functions and marriages top the list. I have even seen people piling up their plates with insane amount of food and all of that ends up going into the dustbin because they can’t eat all of it.

Solution : People must realise this fact that while you are wasting such expensive food items so ceremoniously, there are thousands of people who are sleeping hungry everyday. You can always donate food which you think is of no use to you or would get waste. Give leftovers to poor and unprivileged people. There are lots of slum areas, orphanages, and institutions where this food can be utilised in the best possible way. Find out and try not to waste anything that is edible.

4. Keep Your Surroundings Clean : Everyday in my colony I see people throwing their stuff on roadsides and in the park. I don’t understand why such people even exist. Though, our colony has a desi version of skip hiring. They come on alternate days and collect garbage from each and every house in the colony and charge very nominal for that. I think it’s 50 bucks per month. People have a problem in that too. They think Rs.50 per month is too much for a month. The same people wouldn’t mind spending 500 bucks on a shitty pizza at some jazzy food court of a mall and would end up throwing it in the bin. Sick it is but you just can’t help it. You can see the same people throwing garbage and daily waste on the road sides. I have seen so many people doing that here.

Solution : HEAVY PENALTIES for such people. There is no other way out. Every colony or society should have an association who keeps a watch on such things. Sadly, my colony is full of idiots and dad tried his level best to improve conditions here but things didn’t work out but we haven’t given up yet. We talk with people on personal basis and trying to spread a word. It is working effectively but will take sometime. With low patient and short temperedness of people, you just can’t say anything to anyone these days. Better is to talk and ask them to take care of such things. I think it will work.

5. Stop Wasting Water : Now here is something very interesting that I have realised ever since I have installed a RO water purification system in my house. Reverse Osmosis Technology is something which is getting extremely popular with each passing day. Now what happens in such purifiers (if you have noticed) that almost 2/3rd of the water gets wasted every time you switch on the filter to collect potable water. If 3 ltrs of tap water is passed through a RO system, only 1 ltr of potable water is what you get. The rest 2 ltrs goes down the drain which is extremely sad and unacceptable.

Solution : You can use this water for various purposes. For watering your gardens, cleaning your vehicles, washing utensils, mopping your house, washing your clothes etc. Store this water in a bucket and use it for various purposes. We have been doing it since this RO system got installed in our house.

So, these were the 5 problems that I see on day to day basis. I am not being cynical here but these problems are something that we have been seeing from ages but have never really been able to correct or control them. Say lack of inspiration or unwillingness. I really have no clue if our country would be called a PERFECT country while I am alive but yes, you can always tweak and improve things by putting in a bit of your brain and time. I am sure it would definitely work.